Booktown Mystery Series

 Booktown Mystery Series by Lorna Barrett

Bookmarked for Death [Booktown Mystery #2]

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It has been several months since I read the first book in the series, and I don’t recall what I liked or disliked about it, what I can remember is that I didn’t like it much but considered giving another book a try. This was better than the first book, perhaps because I didn’t have much of an expectation with it (owing to disastrous experience with other cozy mysteries I have recently read).

I had an early suspicion of the murderer’s identity which became a certainty well before the MC could figure it out. Still, I would say it was well crafted, though it did have weak points *** 

 The ambivalent attitude of the love-interest Russ, and unexplained antagonism of Sheriff Wendy continue to be sore points. The sister’s character is better in this book, for some positive points as well as negative ones, but the too-good-to-be-true heroines of the books of this genre is getting on my nerves.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Why, if so many people were sure that Zoe didn’t write the books, no one brought it out in open before her murder ?

*** 

 

Bookplate Special [Booktown Mystery #3]

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this better than the second book (which was better than the first). I am myself surprised at this, because I have been not just disappointed, but frequently annoyed, by most books of this genre (and yet I keep returning to it when I am looking for some light read).

The plot here was interesting, though improbable (but aren't they always in such mysteries!). The description of side events and interactions, even though not relevant to the story, are good (except perhaps a couple) and build up the atmosphere of the town.

What jars most in this series is the main character, Tricia, and I see that I am not alone in this opinion. Tricia is away frequently, trying to solve the murders and helping about everyone, leaving her assistant Ginny to handle to shop alone. This is a frequent phenomenon in such books, but then, she is unjustified in being annoyed with Ginny for being late by 5 minutes or 15, for two days, when Tricia herself admits that she is a fast learner and hard worker, genuinely concerned about the shop. She continues to interfere in the investigation, despite repeated warnings from the captain, jeopardizing the investigation and her own safety - and this becomes an irritation. But the point where she is downright stupid is her persistence in questioning Paige.

*** SPOILER ALERT ***

Why does she think she is entitled to ask him about those diary pages? Paige is under no obligation to answer her. But most important of all, if he was indeed the blackmail victim and the murderer as she suspected, she herself would have been lying dead where no one could find her

***

Chapter & Hearse [Booktown Mystery #4]

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After the previous book in the series, I was hoping that this series won't be disappointing, for some time at least. But I couldn't be more wrong. The plot in this book was not strong, and there is an increasing amount of filler content (how many times do you want to the told that the cat said 'yow' or Tricia hates 'not a problem'?)

I hate books where the women are so desperate to 'get a man' (I detest the phrase itself!), that they are willing to settle for anyone and anything. As for the MC Tricia, my growing dislike for her is now turning to hate. She is becoming more and more obnoxious, overbearing, egoistic and stupid. She is so infuriating that I am surprised someone doesn't murder her just for pestering them. If I were to list down the reasons for this thought, it's going to be a very long list, and I have no wish to waste time doing that. So I'll just say, goodbye and good riddance, Tricia.

The Forty Rules of Love

The Forty Rules of Love

  - Elif Shafak

My rating: 3 of 5 stars (2.5 stars rounded up to 3)

I usually tend to avoid books that become a sensation (because they usually lead to shattered expectations), but sometimes I get my hands burned. With not only the members of my reading group raving about it, but also the people on GR and internet in general, going ga-ga over it, it came with a very high expectation. But for me, it turned out to be one of the biggest disappointment of the year (2019 - that's when I read it).

There are two story lines, of Rumi and Shams in the past, and that of Ella and Aziz in present. I liked both the story lines, but I couldn't see the parallel between the two (as had been widely claimed). In fact, they didn't even gel together well. The present day story was not particularly outstanding - a depressed women in a loveless marriage with a rich, philandering husband, giving up everything to find her soul. I found the story of Rumi and Shams the more interesting one, specially because I haven't read anything else about Rumi before this. However celebrated the Rules are, in this book they felt forcefully inserted into the story - most of them go something like this:
... and then Shams said, there is a rule about it .... ""

A Monstrous Regiment of Women

A Monstrous Regiment of Women

  - Laurie R. King

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I fairly liked the first book in the series, but have mixed feelings about this one, bordering towards negative.

First, what I liked - it is well written, and the language as well as the plot flows well (unlike most of the contemporary "cozy mystery" books whose language and storyline feels juvenile). I am no scholar of religion, but I liked and appreciated the theological discussions between the characters, particularly with regard to women's role and rights. I also found insightful the religious and social doctrine against women (that's where the title comes from), and the role of women in London and Britain during and after the WW1.

Now, to the issues, which were too big to overlook. The core theme of the mystery is a plot that has been used time and again (I particularly remember one Poirot story). Though the author gives it a small twist, and it is engaging enough to continue reading to find out how it unfolds, it still feels a letdown.

The biggest problem I have though (and as I see, many other readers do too) is the relationship between Russell and Holmes. After reading the first one, I looked at the blurbs of some of the subsequent ones and found that they get married. I found it creepy and didn't want to continue, but some member of my reading group convinced me that there is a good reason for it and I would enjoy the series. After reading this, I found that my apprehensions were correct. Description of a growing physical attraction between them is extremely distasteful - not only because of the age difference of 40 years, or because it seems totally out of character, but most significantly due to the way their relationship started. Mary is 15 years old when she first meets Holmes, and for 5 years, looks upon him as a mentor and father figure. So, when at the end of the book, Holmes states that he has wanted to kiss her since he first saw her, it is too dramatic and downright creepy.

Murder with Peacocks

Murder with Peacocks  

  - Donna Andrews

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After a five-month hiatus from reading, I got back with an intense and action-packed Daevabad trilogy, after which I felt a need to slow down the pace and find a comfort read. So I went back to cozy mysteries with this series which sounded promising, only to be reminded why I had sworn off the genre.

The mystery part was alright (even though I had a hunch who the murderer would turn out to be), and there were some witty exchanges scattered through the book, which I found amusing. It was also funny to see Michael (rumored to be gay, but obviously, not so) keep trying to tell a (surprisingly) oblivious Meg about his feelings but always getting interrupted.

On the downside, all the characters were more like caricatures, with every single action of theirs emphasizing whatever quality the author wanted to attribute to them. It almost feels like an insult to readers' intelligence - the facts must be hammered on their heads before they grasp it.
A character who visits a small town for the first time, and goes about antagonizing everyone, talking to people just so she can be mean to them, and for no apparent reason - oh, how vile, everyone has a reason to hate her? A scheming bride who is superficial down to the core and demonstrates it in every action and word - oh, how shallow, taking undue advantage of Meg and her poor little brother? The heroine, Meg, who is so nice that she lets three brides walk all over her with their unreasonable demands while being uncooperative themselves, and she always bends over backward to accommodate additional chores and last-minute changes instead of telling a firm no - oh, such a goody-goody girl! And of course, Michael, the quintessential hero - intellectual, gorgeous, and always there to help! And the crazy antics of the entire Langslow family (though many of them were amusing).

The wedding planning took a lot of real estate in the book and the unreasonable behavior of everyone involved was a big pain to read through. I will give another one a try, hoping for more content than bridezilla shenanigans.